"Look, I don't know if these even matter. I don't know whether you read them or not. But if you do, I hope you'll listen to what we're all saying.
I'm 25 years old. I'm an Army veteran, a single-mom, and a student who is studying to be a Physician Assistant. I chose to move back to Kalamazoo, my hometown, after I finished my service in the military. Even though it's been a struggle to find work here in Michigan, I love this state, and chose to live here because of that.
In a few months, I will lose health coverage. I have a job which offers insurance, but between school, and work, and my daughter I'm not available to work the amount of hours (32) required to be eligible. And with all this, I'm still one of the lucky ones. The military pays for my education. Heck, they even pay for my housing while I'm in school. All I have to pay for is day care and routine expenses. (I am not taking any government aid whatsoever.) Still with all this help, I will not be able to afford health insurance. And even if I could barely afford it now, the way insurance companies are inflating their prices, I wouldn't be able to afford it for long.
I'm not a fan of big government. I wouldn't identify myself as far left or extremely liberal. I'm a registered Independent, and I like to think that I vote for the person who is running, and not the party. So, I'm NOT coming to you as just another liberal democrat who is screaming in your ear about reform. I do not think this bill is perfect, and I don't think we have it exactly right. But, what I *know* is that this is a hell of a lot better than what we have right now.
I'm so tired of the petty arguing, and I'm not blaming one side. When there's a Democrat in office, Republicans will push back on everything introduced almost out of habit, but switch the situation and the other side will do the exact same thing. It's so infuriating to watch us flap our jaws and argue about such nonsense while people are DYING because we can't put aside our differences to solve this problem.
I do my best to stay informed and unbiased, and it seems to me that when we put aside the petty arguments, the real fundamental difference in this debate is whether or not Health Care is a commodity or a human right.
I realize that there are people in America who abuse government programs. And, it's sad, because I think they ruin the fundamental moral reason for why we've set up programs to help people. I understand that it's important to not just give people a hand out. I agree that hard work should mean something, and that people should be able to reap the benefits of their own labor.
I do not think, however, that life is so black and white for most people. A lot of Americans live their entire lives struggling day after day to put food on the table and make a better life for their children. And, it's not because they're lazy, or because they're looking for a hand out, it's because...well, that's just life. Sometimes it screws you. Sometimes you grow up in a poor family and can't afford college. Sometimes you save for years to go to college, and you end up having to spend it all so your parents can live in a nursing home. Sometimes your house burns down. Sometimes you get robbed. Sometimes you just plain can't find a job.
By saying that health care is a commodity and not a human right, we're vilifying everyone who can't afford it. We're saying...they must not be good enough. They must not be working hard enough. We're saying that they don't deserve to be cared for. That one human life is better than another because of their income bracket. To me, this is sickening and absurd. The fact that there are people in congress who put a price tag on the worth of a human being is deeply disturbing to me, and completely unacceptable.
We cannot allow insurance companies to do what they're doing. To drop people when they get sick. To deny people for pre-existing conditions. To raise their prices at a ridiculous rate. To suffocate small business owners. To tell a mother who is losing her son to liver failure that a transplant won't be covered because it's deemed "experimental." Absolute power corrupts absolutely, and these companies have absolute power.
So, I don't write to you for my own sake. I write to you for us all. I write to you for the tired, the poor,the huddled masses yearning to breathe free, and I ask you to lift your lamp beside the golden door, and do what makes this country great.
Speak for me. Speak for me when I cannot. Speak for us all."
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Doctors Office Gray
I wrote this about 2.5 years ago. I think it speaks for itself. (It's very Chuck Palahniuk-esque)
Close your eyes. Imagine you're sitting in a room. A plain room, as big as - let's say a poor person's bathroom. In this room, you're sitting in a chair. A wooden one, the kind that creaks with sudden movement, that maybe your grandfather would have received as a wedding present. It's gray - the room. And not a stylish gray, either...more of that horrible drab that you see right next to a bright color in the doctor's office. There's no sound in the room, not even that annoying ring you get in your ears when it's too quiet. It's just plain silent. What do they always say? You can hear a pin drop? In this room you could hear an ant piss. It sort of swirls sometimes. Like cliche movies where you're the camera and you spin around the character. Not too fast, but every once in a while fast enough to make you nauseated. It smells...like church did after a sermon when you were a kid - sitting inside waiting for your parents to stop making it a social event so you can go the fuck home. It smells...boring. Stale. Dead, even. And the room in all it's mindless, gutless glory, is so overwhelming that you can't think. It can't even cross your mind to think. You just...sit. Your ass has been numb for a while now. but - you can't think of that, of course. Your arms are hanging straight down at your sides, your eyes straight forward, blinking occasionally. Does this sound horrible yet? Because, it is. It's numb.
So! You're sitting and it's creaking, and smelling. And small. And silent. And gray...it's alone. You are alone. No windows, no smiles, just ant piss. Now you're at the park. You're at a baseball game. A movie theater. A wedding. A funeral. But this whole picture, this whole...pathetic scene that is painted in your mind -- it's ME. It's my insides. And every so often I jump out of the chair and I run - no, I sprint at the wall and with open palms I beat the walls until they're raw and bloody and I scream. At the top of my lungs I just...scream. And it's beautiful because when I sit back down, even though it has gotten me nowhere and I feel more lost than ever, there is the most gorgeous color of crimson that stains the wall. And I know, if just for that one second - that I DO bleed. And, that means I'm still alive. And some day when I've pounded hard enough over and over and over again i'll break that wall. And when I do I will cry at weddings and laugh at funerals, I'll squash ants and I'll yell at the characters who run upstairs when they're being chased, as if it's going to solve something. And maybe I'll do it all at once. Squash and yell and laugh and bleed and cry my way into an existence that is ANYTHING but doctor's office gray.
Close your eyes. Imagine you're sitting in a room. A plain room, as big as - let's say a poor person's bathroom. In this room, you're sitting in a chair. A wooden one, the kind that creaks with sudden movement, that maybe your grandfather would have received as a wedding present. It's gray - the room. And not a stylish gray, either...more of that horrible drab that you see right next to a bright color in the doctor's office. There's no sound in the room, not even that annoying ring you get in your ears when it's too quiet. It's just plain silent. What do they always say? You can hear a pin drop? In this room you could hear an ant piss. It sort of swirls sometimes. Like cliche movies where you're the camera and you spin around the character. Not too fast, but every once in a while fast enough to make you nauseated. It smells...like church did after a sermon when you were a kid - sitting inside waiting for your parents to stop making it a social event so you can go the fuck home. It smells...boring. Stale. Dead, even. And the room in all it's mindless, gutless glory, is so overwhelming that you can't think. It can't even cross your mind to think. You just...sit. Your ass has been numb for a while now. but - you can't think of that, of course. Your arms are hanging straight down at your sides, your eyes straight forward, blinking occasionally. Does this sound horrible yet? Because, it is. It's numb.
So! You're sitting and it's creaking, and smelling. And small. And silent. And gray...it's alone. You are alone. No windows, no smiles, just ant piss. Now you're at the park. You're at a baseball game. A movie theater. A wedding. A funeral. But this whole picture, this whole...pathetic scene that is painted in your mind -- it's ME. It's my insides. And every so often I jump out of the chair and I run - no, I sprint at the wall and with open palms I beat the walls until they're raw and bloody and I scream. At the top of my lungs I just...scream. And it's beautiful because when I sit back down, even though it has gotten me nowhere and I feel more lost than ever, there is the most gorgeous color of crimson that stains the wall. And I know, if just for that one second - that I DO bleed. And, that means I'm still alive. And some day when I've pounded hard enough over and over and over again i'll break that wall. And when I do I will cry at weddings and laugh at funerals, I'll squash ants and I'll yell at the characters who run upstairs when they're being chased, as if it's going to solve something. And maybe I'll do it all at once. Squash and yell and laugh and bleed and cry my way into an existence that is ANYTHING but doctor's office gray.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Religion is Bad for Society
It is, more often than not, greatly offensive when you challenge someone’s religion. It’s generally regarded as taboo, and most people shy away from the subject. But religion is a discourse that as a society we must participate in. It is precisely this belief, in the unsupported claim of a God that is threatening our society as a whole. It suppresses logic and critical thinking by ignoring science. It has been and continues to be an extreme source of violence and hatred between humans. It uses threats, like hell, to ensure people act a certain way and adhere to archaic principles which cause little, if any, advancement in society.
If a scientist has a theory, and that theory is disproven, he doesn’t get angry and defend his theory at all costs. He doesn’t make excuses and accept his theory on faith, because that’s the only way to make sense of it all. What he does, is accepts that what he originally thought was true is indeed false, because he is looking for truth. If truth is something that religion claims to perpetuate, isn’t it interesting that science, logic, and facts have no basis in its claims.
In a 2005 United Nations Report, a ‘Secularization Theory’ emerged that caught the church scrambling for an answer. It found that the happiest, most developed countries in the world were the least religious. It also found that as religion declines, society advances. Places like Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland were on the top of the United Nations list as the best countries in which to live. They were also the least religious. Some even called them, “The most successful societies the world has ever known.” (The Guardian, 2005 Oct 25) These countries were forerunners in things such as gender equality, and also boast one of the highest life expectancy rates in the world. Sweden, for example, is one of the most economically competitive countries. Its government has long since recognized same-sex marriage, and has the best ‘high-literacy’ rate in the world. Denmark ranked highest in the moral issues that were surveyed in the report, and is one of the best countries toward the environment. Both of these countries are among the most generous in providing aid to third world countries. (United Nations Human Development Report, 2005) While this is not an end-all definitive conclusion that religion does us no good, it is interesting, and should at least begin a dialogue.
Religion has been with us for centuries. If you lived during the Viking Age, you would have most likely believed in Thor, the god of thunder, a war god. If you’d lived in Greece during 700 BC it was Zeus, a sky god. If you lived now in Iraq you would most likely believe in Allah.
Consequently, living in the United States, you most likely believe in Jesus. I would submit to you this: All these gods claim to have a monopoly on salvation with absolutely no proof that they ever even existed. Each society that claims these religious pretenses have committed murderous atrocities, and have done little to advance society, science, or knowledge in general. In fact, religion subdues knowledge even in its most basic form.
According to a recent Gallup poll (Gallup, 2004), only 12% of Americans believe life on earth developed through a natural process without the hand of a god, and 31% believe evolution was guided by God. This is a scary statistic when there are few examples in nature of intelligent design, yet so many examples of unintelligent design. This same poll revealed that 53% of American’s are Creationists. This means they take the book of Genesis, which supposedly tells us how the world began, at a literal translation. Even after a thousand years of scientific study which have proven how old the first forms of life were, and how much older the earth is, most of your neighbors actually believe the entire universe was created only six thousand years ago. This is one example of when religion starts to get very dangerous.
To literally believe your holy book is correct, no matter what religion you subscribe to, is to completely ignore scientific fact. And, while you may think this just makes a person blissfully naive and is no real cause for alarm, I would suggest you think back to our last President, George W. Bush, who said that as far as evolution is concerned, “the jury is still out.” Scientifically, this is intellectual bankruptcy. We hold countless indisputable fossil records which prove the theory of evolution. Our President, the Commander-In-Chief, was a Creationist. This means he takes the Bible literally. Most people who take the Bible literally believe that in the next 50 years, the world will end. Sam Harris put it best when he wrote, “Imagine the consequences that any significant component of the US government actually believed that the world was about to end, and that it’s ending would be glorious. The fact that nearly half the American population apparently believes this purely on the basis of religious dogma should be considered a moral and intellectual emergency. 45% of us think that Jesus is going to come back in the next 50 years. This is a shocking belief that’s incompatible with finding any motive in creating a durable future for our species or a sustainable civilization – geo-politically, economically, or environmentally. If you think the world is going to end in 50 years, and its ending is going to be the best thing that could possibly happen, that is a bad piece of software to be running if you have to make decisions about things like nuclear first strike policy.” (Harris, Sam)
Let’s look at it from a medical standpoint. If everyone believed that ‘everything happens for a reason,’ and that God was in control, what motivation would we have to make advances in medicine? Why would we make things like vaccines, or spend money trying to find cures for diseases like AIDS, and cancer. According to the Catholic Church, even a simple medical measure, like birth control, is wrong. The Catholic Church’s official position is that condom use to prevent AIDS, even from one married partner to another is forbidden. On the church’s behalf missionaries go to Africa, and preach that the use of condoms is sinful. They do this in a country that experienced 605,480 deaths from AIDS in 2006. (South Africa: HIV & AIDS Statistics 2007)
Stem cell research is one of the most promising lines in Biology to generate medical therapies. President Bush vetoed a bill that would allow stem cell research because he found it morally reprehensible, and Biblically incompatible. This means that he believed a three day old blastocyst, in a petri dish, had a soul. And the life of that three day old collection of cells was more important than finding a cure for cancer which would no doubt save millions of lives. All this was because of his religion. Biblically speaking, if you go through the Bible and add up all the first born-children that God either killed, or commanded to be killed, he is the most prolific abortionist of all.
Of course, violence is no stranger to the Bible. The Old Testament is full of slaughter. A rough estimation of how many people God killed falls at about 34,682,212. (How Many Has God Killed, Jan 2009) If you believe the Bible is a historically accurate account of God’s teachings and actions, then it is the most genocidal account of history on record.
Richard Dawkins wrote, “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.” (Dawkins, Richard)
It should come as no surprise to us, then, that so much violence is carried out in the name of God around the world. Historically we could point to the Inquisition and Crusades, but even today we are still killing each other in the name of God, or because others morals don’t coincide with the morals of their faith. Palestine: Jews versus Muslims, Northern Ireland: Protestants versus Catholics, Sudan: Muslims versus Christians, Nigeria: Muslims Versus Christians, Ethiopia: Muslims versus Christians, Sri Lanka: Buddhists versus Hindu’s, Iran and Iraq: Shiite versus Sunni Muslims; these are just a few recent cases. (Letter to a Christian Nation, 2008) And I don’t have to remind anyone why airplanes were flown into the World Trade Center and Pentagon on September 11, 2001.
Religion has done some wonderful things for society, and I have no doubt that it makes some people better than what they thought they could be. I will point out, though, that there are many secular organizations that do just as much good for society, and so religion is not necessary to carry out good in the world.
In my opinion, the most destructive teaching of religion is the teaching that you are not enough, that there has to be some benevolent entity to make your life important, to make it worthwhile, to give you meaning. I would contend just the opposite. If there is some sort of benevolent dictator, then your life means nothing more than whatever he deems fit to make it mean.
It is amazing that you and I are here, on this earth today. Of all the ways it could have gone, and all the incredible possibilities this universe holds, we are still here, breathing, and thinking, and living. Richard Dawkins wrote, "We are going to die, and that makes us the lucky ones. Most people are never going to die because they are never going to be born. The potential people who could have been here in my place but who will in fact never see the light of day outnumber the sand grains of Arabia. Certainly those unborn ghosts include greater poets than Keats, scientists greater than Newton. We know this because the set of possible people allowed by our DNA so massively exceeds the set of actual people. In the teeth of these stupefying odds it is you and I, in our ordinariness, that are here." (Dawkins, Richard, 1998)
So I submit to you this: Religion is as harmful and unnecessary as it is unproven. But it doesn’t mean your life doesn’t have meaning. In fact, the freedom from religion gives your life the greatest meaning. This is it – this is our time, this is our only time. And, we were lucky enough to have the opportunity to live, to breathe, to experience joy, and love, and peace, and pain, and sadness, and kindness. What better reason than this to treat others with the highest amount of respect, with dignity. What better reason to value the sacredness of human life, to help others, to be generous, to be compassionate.
The Bible is both literally and historically contradictory, and is the only book in all of history that even makes mention of a man named Jesus. The teachings at its core are violent, and intolerant, as are other religious texts. It suppresses science and reason. The goodness that’s in the Bible, you can already find in yourself. Trust yourself; believe in yourself. You’re all that you need.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Toynbee, Polly. "The most successful society the world has ever known." Guardian 25 Oct 2005: n. pag. Web. 8 Dec 2009.http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2005/oct/25/society.
foreignpolicy>.
Kevin, Watkins. Human Development Report 2005. New York, New York: Hoechstetter Printing Co, 2005. Print.
"Gallup." Evolution, Creationism, Intelligent Design. 08 May 2008. Gallup, Web. 8 Dec 2009..
Harris, Sam. Letter To A Christian Nation. New York, New York: Random House Inc, 2008. 1- 112. Print.
Noble, Rob. "South Africa: HIV & AIDS Statistics." Avert. 2007. Web. 8 Dec 2009. http://www.avert.org/ safricastats.htm>
Wells, Steve. "How Many Has God Killed?." DWINDLING IN UNBELIEF. 04 Jan 2009. Blogspot, Web. 8 Dec 2009.
Dawkins, Richard. The God Delusion. 1st Edition. New York, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006. 51. Print.
Dawkins, Richard. Unweaving the Rainbow: Science, Delusion, and the Appetite for Wonder. New York, New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1998. Print.
If a scientist has a theory, and that theory is disproven, he doesn’t get angry and defend his theory at all costs. He doesn’t make excuses and accept his theory on faith, because that’s the only way to make sense of it all. What he does, is accepts that what he originally thought was true is indeed false, because he is looking for truth. If truth is something that religion claims to perpetuate, isn’t it interesting that science, logic, and facts have no basis in its claims.
In a 2005 United Nations Report, a ‘Secularization Theory’ emerged that caught the church scrambling for an answer. It found that the happiest, most developed countries in the world were the least religious. It also found that as religion declines, society advances. Places like Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland were on the top of the United Nations list as the best countries in which to live. They were also the least religious. Some even called them, “The most successful societies the world has ever known.” (The Guardian, 2005 Oct 25) These countries were forerunners in things such as gender equality, and also boast one of the highest life expectancy rates in the world. Sweden, for example, is one of the most economically competitive countries. Its government has long since recognized same-sex marriage, and has the best ‘high-literacy’ rate in the world. Denmark ranked highest in the moral issues that were surveyed in the report, and is one of the best countries toward the environment. Both of these countries are among the most generous in providing aid to third world countries. (United Nations Human Development Report, 2005) While this is not an end-all definitive conclusion that religion does us no good, it is interesting, and should at least begin a dialogue.
Religion has been with us for centuries. If you lived during the Viking Age, you would have most likely believed in Thor, the god of thunder, a war god. If you’d lived in Greece during 700 BC it was Zeus, a sky god. If you lived now in Iraq you would most likely believe in Allah.
Consequently, living in the United States, you most likely believe in Jesus. I would submit to you this: All these gods claim to have a monopoly on salvation with absolutely no proof that they ever even existed. Each society that claims these religious pretenses have committed murderous atrocities, and have done little to advance society, science, or knowledge in general. In fact, religion subdues knowledge even in its most basic form.
According to a recent Gallup poll (Gallup, 2004), only 12% of Americans believe life on earth developed through a natural process without the hand of a god, and 31% believe evolution was guided by God. This is a scary statistic when there are few examples in nature of intelligent design, yet so many examples of unintelligent design. This same poll revealed that 53% of American’s are Creationists. This means they take the book of Genesis, which supposedly tells us how the world began, at a literal translation. Even after a thousand years of scientific study which have proven how old the first forms of life were, and how much older the earth is, most of your neighbors actually believe the entire universe was created only six thousand years ago. This is one example of when religion starts to get very dangerous.
To literally believe your holy book is correct, no matter what religion you subscribe to, is to completely ignore scientific fact. And, while you may think this just makes a person blissfully naive and is no real cause for alarm, I would suggest you think back to our last President, George W. Bush, who said that as far as evolution is concerned, “the jury is still out.” Scientifically, this is intellectual bankruptcy. We hold countless indisputable fossil records which prove the theory of evolution. Our President, the Commander-In-Chief, was a Creationist. This means he takes the Bible literally. Most people who take the Bible literally believe that in the next 50 years, the world will end. Sam Harris put it best when he wrote, “Imagine the consequences that any significant component of the US government actually believed that the world was about to end, and that it’s ending would be glorious. The fact that nearly half the American population apparently believes this purely on the basis of religious dogma should be considered a moral and intellectual emergency. 45% of us think that Jesus is going to come back in the next 50 years. This is a shocking belief that’s incompatible with finding any motive in creating a durable future for our species or a sustainable civilization – geo-politically, economically, or environmentally. If you think the world is going to end in 50 years, and its ending is going to be the best thing that could possibly happen, that is a bad piece of software to be running if you have to make decisions about things like nuclear first strike policy.” (Harris, Sam)
Let’s look at it from a medical standpoint. If everyone believed that ‘everything happens for a reason,’ and that God was in control, what motivation would we have to make advances in medicine? Why would we make things like vaccines, or spend money trying to find cures for diseases like AIDS, and cancer. According to the Catholic Church, even a simple medical measure, like birth control, is wrong. The Catholic Church’s official position is that condom use to prevent AIDS, even from one married partner to another is forbidden. On the church’s behalf missionaries go to Africa, and preach that the use of condoms is sinful. They do this in a country that experienced 605,480 deaths from AIDS in 2006. (South Africa: HIV & AIDS Statistics 2007)
Stem cell research is one of the most promising lines in Biology to generate medical therapies. President Bush vetoed a bill that would allow stem cell research because he found it morally reprehensible, and Biblically incompatible. This means that he believed a three day old blastocyst, in a petri dish, had a soul. And the life of that three day old collection of cells was more important than finding a cure for cancer which would no doubt save millions of lives. All this was because of his religion. Biblically speaking, if you go through the Bible and add up all the first born-children that God either killed, or commanded to be killed, he is the most prolific abortionist of all.
Of course, violence is no stranger to the Bible. The Old Testament is full of slaughter. A rough estimation of how many people God killed falls at about 34,682,212. (How Many Has God Killed, Jan 2009) If you believe the Bible is a historically accurate account of God’s teachings and actions, then it is the most genocidal account of history on record.
Richard Dawkins wrote, “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.” (Dawkins, Richard)
It should come as no surprise to us, then, that so much violence is carried out in the name of God around the world. Historically we could point to the Inquisition and Crusades, but even today we are still killing each other in the name of God, or because others morals don’t coincide with the morals of their faith. Palestine: Jews versus Muslims, Northern Ireland: Protestants versus Catholics, Sudan: Muslims versus Christians, Nigeria: Muslims Versus Christians, Ethiopia: Muslims versus Christians, Sri Lanka: Buddhists versus Hindu’s, Iran and Iraq: Shiite versus Sunni Muslims; these are just a few recent cases. (Letter to a Christian Nation, 2008) And I don’t have to remind anyone why airplanes were flown into the World Trade Center and Pentagon on September 11, 2001.
Religion has done some wonderful things for society, and I have no doubt that it makes some people better than what they thought they could be. I will point out, though, that there are many secular organizations that do just as much good for society, and so religion is not necessary to carry out good in the world.
In my opinion, the most destructive teaching of religion is the teaching that you are not enough, that there has to be some benevolent entity to make your life important, to make it worthwhile, to give you meaning. I would contend just the opposite. If there is some sort of benevolent dictator, then your life means nothing more than whatever he deems fit to make it mean.
It is amazing that you and I are here, on this earth today. Of all the ways it could have gone, and all the incredible possibilities this universe holds, we are still here, breathing, and thinking, and living. Richard Dawkins wrote, "We are going to die, and that makes us the lucky ones. Most people are never going to die because they are never going to be born. The potential people who could have been here in my place but who will in fact never see the light of day outnumber the sand grains of Arabia. Certainly those unborn ghosts include greater poets than Keats, scientists greater than Newton. We know this because the set of possible people allowed by our DNA so massively exceeds the set of actual people. In the teeth of these stupefying odds it is you and I, in our ordinariness, that are here." (Dawkins, Richard, 1998)
So I submit to you this: Religion is as harmful and unnecessary as it is unproven. But it doesn’t mean your life doesn’t have meaning. In fact, the freedom from religion gives your life the greatest meaning. This is it – this is our time, this is our only time. And, we were lucky enough to have the opportunity to live, to breathe, to experience joy, and love, and peace, and pain, and sadness, and kindness. What better reason than this to treat others with the highest amount of respect, with dignity. What better reason to value the sacredness of human life, to help others, to be generous, to be compassionate.
The Bible is both literally and historically contradictory, and is the only book in all of history that even makes mention of a man named Jesus. The teachings at its core are violent, and intolerant, as are other religious texts. It suppresses science and reason. The goodness that’s in the Bible, you can already find in yourself. Trust yourself; believe in yourself. You’re all that you need.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Toynbee, Polly. "The most successful society the world has ever known." Guardian 25 Oct 2005: n. pag. Web. 8 Dec 2009.http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2005/oct/25/society.
foreignpolicy>.
Kevin, Watkins. Human Development Report 2005. New York, New York: Hoechstetter Printing Co, 2005. Print.
"Gallup." Evolution, Creationism, Intelligent Design. 08 May 2008. Gallup, Web. 8 Dec 2009.
Harris, Sam. Letter To A Christian Nation. New York, New York: Random House Inc, 2008. 1- 112. Print.
Noble, Rob. "South Africa: HIV & AIDS Statistics." Avert. 2007. Web. 8 Dec 2009. http://www.avert.org/ safricastats.htm>
Wells, Steve. "How Many Has God Killed?." DWINDLING IN UNBELIEF. 04 Jan 2009. Blogspot, Web. 8 Dec 2009.
Dawkins, Richard. Unweaving the Rainbow: Science, Delusion, and the Appetite for Wonder. New York, New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1998. Print.
Monday, November 23, 2009
The Public Option is A Far Cry From Socialized Medicine
These days it seems more and more difficult to separate fact from fiction. In an effort to scare Americans out of supporting the public option, Republicans have turned to rumors and falsities to perpetuate their agenda. They have compared the public option to socialized medicine, and have called it a “government takeover of health care.”
Sadly, instead of doing their own research, some Americans would rather be spoon-fed information, and when they are spoon-fed incorrect information, falsehoods are born and thrive. Be assured; the public option is far different than socialized medicine. It will achieve three main and very important goals, and is in turn necessary and extremely important.
The public option will keep insurance companies honest and accountable, and promote competition. The cost of insurance has increased far more quickly than income. In fact, while average income from 2001 to 2005 rose only 3 percent, health insurance premiums increased 30 percent (Source: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation). Since there is no honest competition for these companies, they are able to charge whatever they want and do as they please, like drop coverage when customer gets sick, or deny an applicant because of a pre-existing condition. The public option simply gives the American more freedom. It lets the consumer take control of their options and chose which is best for their lifestyle.
The public option would be government run, but would not use federal dollars. The program would be self-sustaining, meaning it would run only off the money received from premiums. No citizen will be forced to choose this option, and will be allowed to keep their original insurance if desired.
Socialized medicine is something very different. While it, too, is government run, countries that use it provide no other health care options. There are no private insurance companies. Health care is mandated by the government, and health care workers are paid by the government. Socialized medicine is also funded by tax-payer dollars, unlike the public option laid out by the White House.
The public option in the House bill is also a very conservative form. States that don’t want it can opt-out, and you’re only eligible to chose the public option if you are currently uninsured. This is nothing like the socialized medicine in Britain, and bears very little resemblance to the National Health Care system of Canada.
So, relax. Turn off Fox News, and take a breath. Health care is not being taken over by the government; no one will be forced to use the public option. Tax dollars will not pay for government run insurance. Big Brother is not watching while you sleep.
Sadly, instead of doing their own research, some Americans would rather be spoon-fed information, and when they are spoon-fed incorrect information, falsehoods are born and thrive. Be assured; the public option is far different than socialized medicine. It will achieve three main and very important goals, and is in turn necessary and extremely important.
The public option will keep insurance companies honest and accountable, and promote competition. The cost of insurance has increased far more quickly than income. In fact, while average income from 2001 to 2005 rose only 3 percent, health insurance premiums increased 30 percent (Source: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation). Since there is no honest competition for these companies, they are able to charge whatever they want and do as they please, like drop coverage when customer gets sick, or deny an applicant because of a pre-existing condition. The public option simply gives the American more freedom. It lets the consumer take control of their options and chose which is best for their lifestyle.
The public option would be government run, but would not use federal dollars. The program would be self-sustaining, meaning it would run only off the money received from premiums. No citizen will be forced to choose this option, and will be allowed to keep their original insurance if desired.
Socialized medicine is something very different. While it, too, is government run, countries that use it provide no other health care options. There are no private insurance companies. Health care is mandated by the government, and health care workers are paid by the government. Socialized medicine is also funded by tax-payer dollars, unlike the public option laid out by the White House.
The public option in the House bill is also a very conservative form. States that don’t want it can opt-out, and you’re only eligible to chose the public option if you are currently uninsured. This is nothing like the socialized medicine in Britain, and bears very little resemblance to the National Health Care system of Canada.
So, relax. Turn off Fox News, and take a breath. Health care is not being taken over by the government; no one will be forced to use the public option. Tax dollars will not pay for government run insurance. Big Brother is not watching while you sleep.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Oh, you thought Christianity was original? Don't you feel silly.
The following are a list of religions and religious texts which predate Christianity and the Bible.
Eqyptian religion, 3000 B.C.
Horus
Born on December 25th
Born of a virgin named Mary
Birth Accompanied by a star in the east
Adorned by 3 kings who followed star
Teacher at 12
Baptized/Started ministry at 30
Had 12 disciples
Performed miracles such as:
Healing the sick
Walking on water
Called: "The Truth" "The Light" "Lamb of God"
Crucified
Buried for 3 days
Resurrected
-----------------------
Greece, 1200 B.C.
Attis
Born of a Virgin
Born on December 25th
Crucified
Dead for 3 days
Resurrected
---------------------
India, 900 B.C.
Krishna
Born of a virgin
Star in the east
Performed miracles with disciples
Resurrected
--------------------
Greece, 500 B.C.
Dionysus
Born of a virgin
Born on December 25th
Performed miracles (turned water into wine)
Called "King of Kings" and "alpha and omega"
Resurrected
-------------------
Persia, 1200 B.C.
Mithra
Born of a virgin
Born on December 25th
12 disciples
Performed miracles
Dead for 3 days
Resurrected
Sunday worship
------------------------
Other gods who share these attributes...
-Chrishna of Hindostan
-Budha Sakia of India
-Salivahana of Bermuda
-Zulis or Zhule, also Osiris and Orus of Egypt
-Odin of the Scandinavians
-Crite of Chaldea
-Zoroaster and Mithra of Persia
-Baal and Taut of Phoenecia
-Indra of Tibet
-Bali of Afghanistan
-Jao of Nepal
-Wittoba of the Bilingonese
-Thammuz of Syria
-Atys of Phrygia
-Xamolxis of Thrace
-Zoar of the Bonzes
-Adad of Assyria
-Deva Tat and Sammonocadam of Siam
-Alcides of Thebes
-Mikado of the Sintoos
-Beddru of Japan
-Hesus or Eros, and Bremrillah of the Druids
-Thor, son of Odin, of the Gauls
-Cadmus of Greece
-Hil and Feta of the Mandaites
-Gentaut and Quexalcote of Mexico
-Universal Monarch of the Sibyls
-Ischy of the island of Formosa
-Divine Teacher of Plato
-Holy One of Xaca
-Fohi and Tien of China
-Adonis, son of the virgin Io of Greece
-Ixion and Quirinus of Rome
-Prometheus of Caucasus
Eqyptian religion, 3000 B.C.
Horus
Born on December 25th
Born of a virgin named Mary
Birth Accompanied by a star in the east
Adorned by 3 kings who followed star
Teacher at 12
Baptized/Started ministry at 30
Had 12 disciples
Performed miracles such as:
Healing the sick
Walking on water
Called: "The Truth" "The Light" "Lamb of God"
Crucified
Buried for 3 days
Resurrected
-----------------------
Greece, 1200 B.C.
Attis
Born of a Virgin
Born on December 25th
Crucified
Dead for 3 days
Resurrected
---------------------
India, 900 B.C.
Krishna
Born of a virgin
Star in the east
Performed miracles with disciples
Resurrected
--------------------
Greece, 500 B.C.
Dionysus
Born of a virgin
Born on December 25th
Performed miracles (turned water into wine)
Called "King of Kings" and "alpha and omega"
Resurrected
-------------------
Persia, 1200 B.C.
Mithra
Born of a virgin
Born on December 25th
12 disciples
Performed miracles
Dead for 3 days
Resurrected
Sunday worship
------------------------
Other gods who share these attributes...
-Chrishna of Hindostan
-Budha Sakia of India
-Salivahana of Bermuda
-Zulis or Zhule, also Osiris and Orus of Egypt
-Odin of the Scandinavians
-Crite of Chaldea
-Zoroaster and Mithra of Persia
-Baal and Taut of Phoenecia
-Indra of Tibet
-Bali of Afghanistan
-Jao of Nepal
-Wittoba of the Bilingonese
-Thammuz of Syria
-Atys of Phrygia
-Xamolxis of Thrace
-Zoar of the Bonzes
-Adad of Assyria
-Deva Tat and Sammonocadam of Siam
-Alcides of Thebes
-Mikado of the Sintoos
-Beddru of Japan
-Hesus or Eros, and Bremrillah of the Druids
-Thor, son of Odin, of the Gauls
-Cadmus of Greece
-Hil and Feta of the Mandaites
-Gentaut and Quexalcote of Mexico
-Universal Monarch of the Sibyls
-Ischy of the island of Formosa
-Divine Teacher of Plato
-Holy One of Xaca
-Fohi and Tien of China
-Adonis, son of the virgin Io of Greece
-Ixion and Quirinus of Rome
-Prometheus of Caucasus
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
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